The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-07-24
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CHOIR
A Letter to a Young Choir Leader
From His Teacher.

Ny Dear Young Friend and Pupil:
1 am as pleased 10 learn that you have
been appointed to fill the important
Office of choir leader, as l shall be proud
when you have successfully filled the
position with honor to yourself and
benefit to your ward. For the teacher
notwithstanding the fact that he has
been enabled only to direct your labors
and your ambitions to a limited extent,
while yo's have had to do all the real
labor that has fitted you for this calling
nevertheless feels that he shares more
or less in the honors and responsible
ties OF his pupils. You are young tit
seems only yesterday, when with host
of other bright-eyed children you first
came to the singing class; but your
youth will serve you to become doubly
useful. 1t needs y0ung, fresh life to
compel US old fogies to march out of
the old rut or groove which we have
made for ourselves, to remind US that
the world is nlOUinQ. l wish you to keep
this well in mind, while considering the
little advice l am about to offer. Con-
slider well advice from every source, but
in acting upon it never loose yOur
oagn individuality. If you seek to do as
I would do, do so becaus-, after con-
sideration, you cannoL see better way
to get the desired results. 1t is true
nv experience ought to enable me to
suggest many useful points to you, and
so it may. So give my points for
what they are worth.
There are THREE important ones that
first present themselves. The singers.
the music, and the learning of the
music which with us includes the train
ing of the singers as q baby. Nearly
every poor choir is so through lack in
one or more of these three points; you
NAV select good interesting pieces, and
he careless about the organization of
the various parts" Of your choir.
THE alto, tenore or bass being too
weak so that the harmony is not well
balance "a common error. You may,
| lat first but you will not retain them
| long) have a good complete organlza-
ton, and make Inappropriate lteless
selections. or you may have a good
organization and good selections, but
| so conduct your rehearsals as to get no
good results, though q lack of method
and distinct aim. In each OF the above
cases partial or complete failure is the
result. Now l have mentioned these
three fatal drawbacks, their cure must
he considered. The first, cast
the idea to the winds at once that
YOU must get along with what
material vou may have around you
unless that material is just what you
need, How often [ have been told re-
| Hr
have one or two altos" etc., just as If
it were impossible to teach others to sing
IL. CREATE q choir; reason with your
singers. If the ladies have all been &C
customed to sing the treble, select
number at once to learn the alto; If you
have not q sufficient number. get more.
There are but very few people who can
not sing. There is not q ward IN salt
Lake City that does not boast fifty fair,
useful voices. But little credit Is due
the man who does nothing more than
take charge of ready-made material,
already organized for him. Become 81
once an organizer, instructor and con-
ductor, Average four altos, three
tenors, four BASES, to every sl1 So
pranos, unless voices OF e1traordlnaly
bower or weakness necessltates aug
menting or diminishing the number.
Thus balanced, there cannot be 100
many useful members in any CHOIR.
Then be always on the lookout among nj
tn growing population of the ward Tor
new material to ill in any vacancy OF
to augment the whole. Remember
you at best but murder q compo.
$ ton of any merit if the 'parts" are
not fairly balanced. So much for the
singers. Now q few words ABOUT ghe
music, selecting the pieces" 10Y s
must do your oWr selecting, ana tna1'
not at random. But you should posi-
lively fall in lOve'' with every piect
before presenting it to your choir, tnsl
they may drink in OF your eflthnS dSs1D
and get at the soul OF the piece. hels
of course comes the importance Of COT